Brassiere



April 26 1955 H. w. DozlER 2,706,816

BRASSIERE Filed Oct. 31, 1952 2 Shets-Sheet 1 April 26 l955 H. w. DozlER 2,706,816

BRASSIERE Filed Oct. 31, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 f y Mm www@ United States Patent C) 2,706,816 BRAssIRE Herma W. Dozier, Ladue, Mo., assignor to Fancee Free Mfg. Co., St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application October 31, 1952, Serial No. 317,989

3 Claims. (Cl. 2-42) This invention relates to brassires and particularly to improvements in pregnancy and nursing brassires.

One of the important objects of this invention is to construct a greatly simplified brassire which provides breast supports without binding or discomfort.

Another object of this invention is to construct a brassire having similar but separate parts and to connect these parts for flexibility of movement without binding around the body of the wearer.

Still another object of this invention is to construct a two-part brassire to provide substantial economies of manufacture by having the parts and pieces thereof of similar shapes, all without impairing the novel and important features thereof.

Still a further object is to construct a brassire in two separate but similar parts having attaching bands arranged to provide breast support and flexibility around the body of the wearer by crossing the attaching bands to avoid the necessity for interconnecting the attaching bands in the area below the breasts.

A further object of this invention is to provide a brassire having completely separate parts flexibly interconnected in the manner above indicated, and to provide, in addition, flexibility of connection between the breast cups so that adjustments may be made to take care of changes in the breast size, and to release one or both of the breast cups so that it may be lowered. to expose the breast for nursing.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved brassire constructed of two separate but similar parts in which there are right and left hand parts with means for crossing over the connection between the parts so that support of the left breast is obtained from the right and support of the right breast is obtained from the left, and to provide side support for the breasts which is brought into play directly with the support provided by the parts which are crossed over each other.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide an improved brassire having all of the foregoing objects and advantages and which may be adjusted in the zone between the breast cups to provide a low neckline demanded by styles, without detracting from the utility of the brassire for pregnancy and nursing.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention consists in two similar but completely separate parts having right and left hand shapes, and means for interconnecting these parts elastically at the back of the wearer and flexible and adjustable across the front of the wearer in the zone below the breasts. The preferred construction further consists in means for fully supporting the breasts at the side and below in a flexible arrangement of attaching means, in combination with other attaching means located between the breast cups for obtaining adjustment thereof and for permitting one or both of the breast cups to be lowered for nursing. This invention further consists in the improved construction and in the parts, pieces thereof, and in the arrangement and combination of parts and pieces which will hereinafter be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front plan View of a part of the improved brassire constituting the left hand portion thereof;

Figure 2 is a view similar to that of Fig. 1, but illustrating the right hand part of the brassire;

Fig. 3 is a front perspective view of the presently improved brassire illustrating the same 1n assembled position;

2 ,706 ,8 l 6 Patented Apr. 26, 1955 Fig. 4 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary view of an adjustable buckle connecting means for the brassire shoulder straps;

Fig. 5 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary View of a buckle connector means and tab for use with the attaching bands of the brassire;

Fig. 6 is a front perspective view showing the brassire with one of the breast cups released and in lowered position; and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view from the left side showing the breast supporting features of the brassire.

Particular reference will now be had to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, wherein the parts and pieces of a presently preferred brassire are shown. In accordance with the objects hereof, the brassire comprises two separate parts, the left hand part being shown at 10 and the right hand part being shown at 11. Part 10 comprises a breast cup 12 having inner and outer margins 13 and 14 respectively and a lower curved margin 15 with a dart 16 extending upwardly from the margin 15 to impart the desired configuration to the breast cup. Attaching band 17 is provided for the breast cup 12 and consists in the cup supporting section 18 and the cup adjusting section 19. The cup supporting section 18 is stitched or otherwise connected to the breast cup 12 along the lower margin 15 thereof and the supporting and adjusting sections are joined by a portion of the attaching band which has an upper tapering7 margin 20 between the opposite ends of the attaching band and above the lower, substantially straight margin 21 of said band.

Part 10 of the present brassire further consists in the provision of an elastic inset 23, that is an inset formed from suitable resilient or elastic material, which is connected to the outer margin 14 of the breast cup 12 and to the adjacent margin 22 of the breast cup supporting section 18. This inset 23 extends along the full length of the adjacent margins 14 and 22 for lateral breast support and is, in turn, connected to a side section or panel 24 which constitutes part of a back band 25 for the brassire. The side section or panel 24 has a lower margin 26 arranged at an angle with respect to the margin 21 of the attaching band 17 and an upper tapering margin 27 through or adjacent which the end 28 of a shoulder strap 29 extends. End 28 of strap 29 extends across the width of the panel 24 and is stitched in place along the margin 26 as well as margin 27. The panel 24 is provided with a connector consisting of a tab 30 provided with the usual series of eyelets 31 by which adjustments can be made. Tab 30 is connected to panel 24 by an elastic band 32. Band 32, while being shown as made up of elastic material, does not necessarily have to be so constructed, as inelastic means may be substituted therefor.

Fig. 2 discloses a plan view of the right hand part of the improved brassire. The parts hereof are substantially similar in shape, but reversely arranged relative to the parts described in connection with Fig. 1. Accordingly, the parts and pieces of the right hand portions of the brassire shown in Fig. 2 will be pointed out by reference characters which are similar with those applied to Fig. l, but increased by one hundred. It is pointed out that the side section or panel 124 in Fig. 2 is provided with a tab 33 to which hook elements 34 are secured in position to cooperate with any series of eyelets 31 carried on the tab 30 of the left hand part shown in Fig. 1. Another difference between the right and left hand parts of the brassire is found in the provision of a slot 35 formed in the intermediate part of the attaching band 117 in the zone of the tapering margin 120 thereof. This slot 35 is directed at an angle to the lower substantially straight margin 121 of the attaching band, and is of sufficient length to receive the adjusting section 19 of the left hand brassire part 10. Slot 35 permits the attaching bands 19 and 119 to be arranged in a crossed relationship without fixing the bands one with the other.

Again referring to Fig. l, the brassire part 10 is provided with a pair of adjusting buckle means by which the brassire may be adjusted for the individual wearer. The adjustable buckle 37, also shown in Fig. 4, comprises a body 38 having a loop 39 to receive in adjustable relationship the bight 40 of a triangular tab having legs 41 and 42. Legs 41 and 42 are stitched into margin 43 on the upper portion of the breast cup 12 above the location of the dart 16. Buckle 37 is also provided with a slide 44 movable relative to the body 38 and provided with a pair of adjacent openings 45 and 46, which, in cooperation with the upper portion of the body 38, serve to anchor, in adjustable manner, the end portion 47 of shoulder strap 29. The adjustable buckle 37 retains the end portion 47 of shoulder strap 29 in any given position of adjustment, but in no way interferes with the lateral movement between the buckle and the margin 43 of breast cup 12 as indicated, in Fig. 4, by the full line and dotted line positions of the buckle and tab. Since the buckle and triangular tab of the right hand part of the brassire shown in Fig. 2 are substantially similar with the parts shown in Fig. 2, the foregoing description applies with equal force.

The second adjustment buckle means for the brassire part 11 shown in Fig. 2 and in detail in Fig. 5 for the brassire part 11 is indicated at 49. This part 49 has a tab 50 stitched or otherwise xed into the margin 51 of the side panel 124 beyond the location of the elastic breast supporting inset 123. Tab 50 provides an anchor for a buckle 52 which is shown in greater detail in Fig. 5. Buckle 52 comprises a body 53 having the loop 54 for receiving the bight 55 of tab 50. A relatively movable member 56 of the buckle 49 is provided to receive the adjusting section 19 of the attaching band 17 for the brassire part 10. Buckle 52 operates in substantially the same manner as the buckle shown at 37 (Fig. 4). Since the two parts of the brassire are substantially identical and are intended to be interconnected, it is apparent that adjusting section 119 of the right hand part 11 is adapted to be connected with the identical adjustable buckle 52 carried on the left hand part 10 by means of the tab 50. Similarly, adjusting section 19 of the left hand brassire part is secured to the right hand part 11 at the buckle 52. However, section 19 is passed through the slot 35 in band 117 so that it appears at the front of section 118.

Referring to Fig. 3, the improved brassire is shown with its parts connected and in position on the body of the wearer, adjusted to provide support for the breasts without binding or discomfort. This View clearly indicates the crossed arrangement of attaching-bands, wherein the adjusting section 19 of the left hand brassire part 10 is threaded through the slot 35 in the attaching band 117 of the right hand brassire part 11. The adjusting section 19 enters slot 35 from behind so that it may be exposed at the front of the breast cups supporting section 118 for adjustable connection at the buckle 52 of means 49. The cup supporting section 118 and the adjusting section 119 thereof for the right hand brassire part 11 are located in front of the breast cup supporting section 18 for the left hand brassire part 10 so that section 119 can be adjustably connected with the buckle 52 of the adjusting means 49. The nal adjustment of the respective sections 19 and 119 at the respective means 49 is of course made after the back band 25 of the brassire has been connected at tabs 3() and 33 by means of the hooks 34 and eyelets 31, respectively. The brassire is thus provided with parts which encircle the body of the wearer and are located below the breasts with adjustable portions of the brassire arranged in crossed relationship and relatively inclined upwardly from a zone A in the center of the body between the breasts. Normal breathing movement of the body is completely unhampered in such an arrangement. It is also apparent from Fig. 3 that the left hand adjusting section 19 when secured at the right hand buckle means 49 locates the breast cup supporting section 18 below the left breast and in position to provide full support therefor. The same is true for parts 118 and 119.

A novel feature of the present brassire is shown in the insets 23 and 123 which extend along the outer mar gins of the left and right breasts and provides full lateral support with suflicient flexibility to avoid binding and discomfort. The inset 23 for the left breast is main tained in supporting position by means of the supporting band 17 which is adjustably anchored by the section 19. In a similar manner, the elastic inset 123 provides lateral breast support for the right breast and is attached through section 117 at the left hand side of the brassire. In both cases, lateral support from means 23 and 123 and support beneath the breast from sections 18 and 118 is obtained. The resulting crossed effect of the respective attaching bands 17 and 117 provide support from the left side of the body to the right breast and from the right side of the body to the left breast, with no binding or crushing pressure on the breasts which would tend to create discomfort or be harmful.

When a brassire of the present construction is worn during a pregnancy the adjustability of the attaching bands 17 and 117 provides a simple, yet positive means for permitting the brassire to be enlarged as the breasts increase in size. The adjustability of these attaching bands also permits adjustment of the brassire to provide support from below and at the sides of the breasts at all times.

Another novel feature in the present brassire construction is shown in connection with Figs. 6 and 7. The adjacent margins 13 and 113 of the breast cups 12 and 112 are provided with tunnels 59 and 159 respectively to receive a draw ribbon 60 having its ends 61 and 62 exposed at the upper open ends of the ribbon tunnels. The tunnels each have a lateral opening at the lower end to allow the ribbon to cross between the tunnels and form the bight, shown at 63 in Figs. 3 and 7. The ribbon ends 61 and 62 may be drawn outwardly to locate the breast cup margins 13 and 113 in any desired adjustable spaced relation to hold the breast cups 12 and 112 in position without strain. Ribbon 60 is intended to make the breast cups 12 and 112 adjustable for the purpose of selecting a pleasing neck line, shown in Fig. 7. More importantly, the ribbon 60 allows either of the breast cups to be lowered for nursing. Furthermore, the draw ribbon can be tied as loosely as desired to give more room in the breast cups when the breasts are enlarged between nursing periods and to permit the breast cups to be drawn together to accommodate changes in size of the breasts following nursing. It is entirely unnecessary in a brassire of the present construction to remove the brassire or change its position on the body of the wearer for nursing.

What I claim is:

l. A brassire comprising: two separate body engaging parts adapted to be interconnected in relatively movable relation, each of said parts including a breast cup having inner and outer margins and a lower curved margin, a breast supporting inset attached along said outer margin of the breast cup, a back band section attached to said supporting inset at one end and having an opposite free end, said breast cup having a breast covering portion extending upwardly from said lower curved margin above said inner and outer margins, and a shoulder strap attached at one of its ends to said back band section intermediate the ends of the latter and at its other end to said upwardly extending breast cup portion; detachable fastening means carried by the free ends of each back band section to interconnect the same; an attaching band connected along the lower curved margin of each breast cup and having a free end portion, said attaching bands extending in intersecting crossed relation below said breast cups; adjustable connecting means fastened into each brassire part outwardly of said breast supporting insets therefor, the connecting means of one brassire part being engaged by the free end portion of the attaching band for the opposite brassire part; and flexible draw means connected between said inner margins of said breast cups to cross-connect the shoulder strap of one brassire part to said curved lower margin of the other brassire part and adjust the spacing of said breast cups.

2. A brassire comprising: two separate parts adapted to be interconnected in detachable and adjustable relation, each of said parts including a breast cup having inner and outer margins and a lower curved margin, an elastic breast supporting inset attached along said outer margin, a back band section having one end portion connected into said breast supporting inset and having a free end, attaching means on said free end, a front attaching band marginally connected along said curved lower margin of said breast cup and having a free end, and a shoulder strap having one end connected t0 said breast cup and the opposite end connected to said back band inwardly of its free end; said two separate parts being detachably interconnected by said back band sections through said attaching means and adjustably interconnected by said front attaching bands; an attaching element fixed into each brassire part outwardly of said elastic breast supporting inset and adjustably securing said free end of the front attaching band, the element for one brassire part being engaged by the free end of the attaching band for the other brassire part; and an adjustable tie means engaging said inner margins of said breast cups, said tie means holding the breast cups in adjusted relation and interconnecting the shoulder strap of one brassire part with the curved lower margin of the other brassire part to provide criss-cross breast support along said curved lower margins of the breast cups and through. said elastic breast supporting insets.

3. A brassire comprising: two separate independently constructed and detachably connected parts, each including a breast cup having inner and outer margins and a lower curved margin, a breast supporting inset at the outer margin, and two separate bands, one band having one end portion connected to said inset and the opposite end free to eXtend rearwardly of said breast cup, and the other band having a margin inwardly of one end connected along said lower margin of said breast cup, to extend laterally away from said breast cup for the other brassire part; releasable fastening means on the free ends of said bands extending rearwardly of said breast cups to engage each other; adjustable and releasable attaching means llexibly connected to each brassire part outwardly of said inset adjacent said rst recited band to be engaged by and anchor the free end of said second recited band extending from the opposite brassire part; shoulder straps connected to said breast cups and to said bands extending rearwardly of said breast cups; and exible tie means engaging said inner margins of said breast cups to adjust the spacing of said breast cups and connect the latter t0 secure breast cup support from the inset and along the curved lower margin of one brassire part and upwardly to the shoulder strap of the other brassire part.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,595,920 Petersen Aug. 10, 1926 1,958,963 De Got May l5, 1934 2,471,670 Becker et al May 3l, 1949 2,601,679 Garnett July 1, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 204,642 Great Britain Oct. 4, 1923 842,910 France Mar. 13, 1939 

